Top Table Talk – Roy Hill Mine and Railway

AUSTRALASIAN TIMETABLE NEWS No. 260, April 2014 ISSN 1038-3697 RRP $4.95 Published by the Australian Timetable Association www.austta.org.au TOP TABLE TALK – ROY HILL MINE AND RAILWAY

car dumper. It has been specifically designed to facilitate the On 20 March a $7.9 billion finance package was signed to rapid refuelling of locomotives, inspection of empty trains finance the huge new Roy Hill iron ore mining project in NW prior to their return to the mine and heavy maintenance WA. tasks. A state-of-the-art, high technology communications A major part of the project is a 344 km single line, standard based, automatic train protection and in-cab, moving-block gauge, heavy haul railway to transport the processed iron signalling system will be provided. The adoption of this full ore from the Roy Hill mine to a dedicated port south of Port vehicle tracking communication-based technology will be the Hedland. The independently owned and operated Roy Hill first of its kind in Australia. railway will operate five ore trains per day, each consisting of Roy Hill is 70% owned by Mrs Gina Rinehart's Hancock three locomotives hauling 232 ore cars with a total payload Prospecting. A total of 2,500 people are currently employed of 31,450 tonnes of ore. Roy Hill will adopt current best on the construction of the mine. Production is expected to practice in all aspects of heavy haul rail currently utilised in start in late 2015. Roy Hill aims to produce 55 million tonnes the Pilbara, including wheel/rail profiles, axle loads, of iron ore per year, which will make it Australia's fourth- locomotive power and ore car design. Due to the undulating biggest iron ore producer. With reserves of more than 2.4 nature of the terrain to the north of the mine, each train will billion tonnes, it is set to become one of the largest mining be assisted by rear-located, manned banker locomotives for projects in Australia. Mining operations will produce 55 the first 30 km of the journey to Port Hedland. Four passing million tones of iron ore per annum with an operating life of loops will be positioned to optimise cycle times of the trains. more than 20 years A marshalling yard will be located eight km from the port ore RAIL AND TRAM NEWS and localised flooding around Alpha and Jericho cut the Sydney area Freight Working Timetable Central line on 20 February. Commencing westbound on 24 5 April February and continuing until 6 March, Spirit of the Outback A new Sydney area Freight Working Timetable (published by trains were replaced by buses between Rockhampton and Transport for NSW and Sydney Trains) has been issued. Longreach. Freight services were also cancelled Weekends (Book 5) is effective from 5 April, and Weekdays (Book 4) from 7 April. QR CityTrain: Significant trackwork. The lines from Roma St to Corinda, Murarie and NSW Country Regional Network West Yeerongpilly were closed on the weekend of 15 and 16 March for various maintenance works and bridgework at Working Timetable 15 March Ipswich Road. A new Working Timetable for John Holland Rail NSW Country Regional Network Western lines has been issued, Brisbane BaT tunnel effective 15 March. It is, as usual, on their website, The proposed Brisbane cross-river public transport tunnel www.jhrcrn.com.au under “Network Operations and has been designated as the BaT project, standing for Bus Access”. and Train. ARTC Working Timetable 6 April Broadbeach Monorail not operating A new ARTC Working Timetable has been issued effective It is believed that the monorail at Broadbeach from Jupiters from 6 April. It is, as usual, on their website Casino and Hotel to the Oasis Shopping Centre (1 km) has www.artc.com.au under “Operations”. not operated since about October 2013. ARTC: Advanced Train Management ARTC: North Star line reopened System and Botany line upgrade From 21 February the branchline from Camurra (near On 7 March the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Moree) to North Star in NW NSW wheat country was Infrastructure and Regional Development, Warren Truss, reopened. made available $50 million to the Australian Rail Track Corporation for the next stage of the Advanced Train NSW Train Link: Minor timetable change Management System. He said that national freight From 6 April the 555 XPT from Brisbane to Sydney departs productivity will be boosted through the injection of $125 Dungog at 1638, eleven minutes earlier than formerly. million to start the rollout of the ATMS and the next stage of Apparently, the cross that took place at Dungog North now the Port Botany line upgrade. takes place south of Dungog. Mr Truss said, “The Advanced Train Management System Aurizon industrial dispute will lift innovation in the sector by replacing current high-cost, About 200 Aurizon train drivers on the Hunter Valley coal low-reliability track-side signalling with a state-of-the-art network went on strike for three days from 25 February as computer system that will underpin the national network's part of a dispute over an expired industrial agreement. future operations. This will increase the capacity of existing Aurizon then refused to allow the drivers to return to work networks by allowing trains to run closer together, as well as and locked them out for a further two days. Aurizon said, improving safety by allowing greater control over trains by ‘‘We cannot tolerate a rolling campaign of indefinite, network operators. This is smart funding for smart unpredictable stoppages that are designed by the union to technology. We are supporting the development of cause ongoing disruption to our business and our customers’ information technology that unlocks more capacity within our business. That is not in anyone’s interests.’’ Aurizon has existing infrastructure in the most cost effective way contracts to transport about 25% of the Hunter Valley coal possible. Meanwhile, our $75 million investment in getting tonnage. During this period coal miners made spot Stage 3 of the Port Botany Upgrade will continue the agreements with Pacific National to convey their coal. upgrade of the Port Botany Rail Line on segments that have sub-standard track condition, such as poor ballast, replacing Sydney double-deckers “a mistake” says the last remaining timber sleepers with concrete, and Premier replacing sections of worn or low weight rail with higher In a press conference on 24 March, the New South Welsh grade steel to increase load capacity.” Premier, Barry O’Farrell, said that the double-decker ARTC may take over Queensland lines suburban trains should not have been introduced into On 25 February the Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss Sydney. He said, "One of the decisions I think state and Queensland Transport Minister Scott Emerson agreed governments got wrong decades ago was to move to to investigate incorporating Queensland into the national rail double-decks, instead of matching what's happening in network. The ARTC will commence an investigation in early Paris, in London, where single-deck were retained. Single- March into expanding the ARTC’s 8,500km national network. deck ... can carry more people, travel more quickly, and The review is split into two phases - an initial exploratory disembark those people more quickly without people having phase followed by a due diligence process. ARTC will report to come down those difficult steps that exist on our double- back to the Queensland and Federal governments by mid- decks and that delay people at railway stations. There are year. A decision will be made by these governments more commuters going into London than come into Sydney following the completion of the due diligence process, should and they're catered in good comfort by single-deck trains". this go ahead. The Sydney North West Rail Link will be built with a six- metre internal diameter – too small to fit Sydney's existing QR TravelTrain: The breaking of the double-deck fleet. In time this will mean much of the rest of drought? Sydney's train system will also need to change to single- Due to extensive flooding and wash outs from Pentland to decker trains. The government plans to extend the North Torrens Creek on the Queensland Great Northern line, the West Rail Link past Chatswood station through the city in westbound Inlander on Sunday 23 February 2014 was another harbour crossing, linking it to the Bankstown line cancelled and replaced by a bus. Subsequent Inlanders and the Illawarra line to Hurstville. were cancelled between Cloncurry and Mt Isa. Massive rain 2 Graham Currie, lecturer in Public Transport at Monash from Parramatta to Castle Hill and Macquarie Park as a University commented that double-decker trains could carry 2015 election promise. 20% to 30% more people than single-decker trains. He said there were advantages and disadvantages with both types. NSW Inquiry into Regional Transport "Double-deck trains are bigger. They carry more people. But The NSW Legislative Assembly State and Regional they cost more to build," he said. It was also easier to run Development Committee’s inquiry into inter-regional public more single-deck trains. I don’t think it is a clear-cut decision transport was tabled in state Parliament on 19 March 2014. either way: I would not myself be so definitive to say one is The full report can be accessed on the Committee’s web site better than the other." at https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/Prod/Parlment/com The reason double-decker trains do not carry double the mittee.nsf/0/5D81A2253954EF35CA257CA000181020?op number of people as single-deckers is that passengers tend en&refnavid=CO3_1 together with transcripts of evidence to bunch near the doors of the larger trains. Double-decker and other documents associated with the inquiry. The trains were introduced to Sydney in the mid-1960s. The government is required to respond to the Committee's silver double-decker S-Sets, which still run on Sydney's train recommendations within six months of the report being system, were introduced in 1972. The last single-decker tabled. trains in Sydney were withdrawn in 1992. The most recent double-decker trains ordered by the NSW government were Recommendations varied from very general to very specific. the Waratah trains, ordered in 2006. They include: • that Transport for NSW enhances the existing inter- Newcastle Light Rail regional public transport network wherever NSW government authority UrbanGrowth (sic) is conducting practicable, with priority being given to those consultations on three possible routes for the Light Rail line regions that do not currently have access to the to replace the existing Railway from Wickham to Newcastle. network. One is along the existing Rail line, one along Hunter St, and • that Transport for NSW re-route the NSW TrainLink the third is a combination of these. Running along Hunter St Southern Coach services to incorporate stops at would cost twice as much as using the existing railway Jindabyne and Berridale. corridor. Details are at • that NSW TrainLink develops a marketing strategy http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/en- specifically targeting potential regional customers, us/deliveringhomes/urbanrenewal/revitalisingnewcastle. and actively promoting the benefits of its rail and aspx coach services compared to other forms of transport. Sydney Light Rail • that Transport for NSW conducts a state-wide The extension to the Sydney tram line from Lilyfield to review of how connectivity between its regional rail Dulwich Hill opened on Thursday 27 March. The extension is and coach services can be improved, with a 5.6 km making the full length of the tramway 12.8.km. specific focus on remedying anomalies such as the Intermediate stations are Leichhardt North, Hawthorne, Orange-Bathurst Bullet connection. Marion, Taverners Hill, Lewisham West, Waratah Mills, • that Transport for NSW undertakes an audit of inter- Arlington and Dulwich Grove. Trams operate every 10 regional public transport services to identify where minutes in the peaks, 0700-1000 and 1500-1800, and every express services can be introduced to facilitate 15 minutes in the off peak period. The complete journey will faster travel times. take about 40 minutes. • that NSW TrainLink implements improvements to A map of the Sydney tram extension is on our back cover. on-board services and amenities on its trains and coaches that can be achieved in the short-term and Canberra Light Rail without significant cost and gives consideration to A consortium of nine engineering, infrastructure and design the Committee’s findings with respect to on-board firms will provide technical advice to the ACT government for services in the acquisition of any new rolling stock the Capital Metro light rail project. ACT Sustainable utilised for inter-regional public transport. Development Minister Simon Corbell on 24 February • that Transport for NSW considers measures to announced engagement of an engineering consultancy broaden NSW TrainLink’s coach network coverage, group led by Arup Hassell and including Parsons better integrate coach services with connecting Brinckerhoff, Brown Consulting, LANDdata Surveys, Philip train services and remove unnecessary barriers to Chun Access, SLR Consulting, GML Heritage and dsb using coach services. Landscape Architects. The first stage of the Capital Metro • that Transport for NSW examines and reviews the project is planned to run from Civic along Northbourne cost of fares on the NSW TrainLink and the Sydney Avenue and Flemington Road to Gungahlin. Construction is Trains networks, with a particular focus on the fare expected to begin in 2016. structure concerning the nexus of the NSW TrainLink and Sydney Trains networks. Badgerys Creek Airport: Rail connections • that Transport for NSW investigates the feasibility of Development of a second airport for Sydney at Badgerys carrying light freight on NSW TrainLink’s services. Creek in the western suburbs is currently being pushed strongly by some political representatives and the Daily Cowra lines re-opening? Telegraph newspaper. Rail connections being proposed are The NSW government is advertising for tenders to run and an extension to Badgerys Creek of the Leppington (South maintain 200 km of railways from Blayney to Cowra and West Sydney) line due to open this year, then an extension Demondrille and from Koorawatha to Grenfell. It has signed of this to the Western line in the vicinity of St Marys. Also a Memorandum of Understanding with the Shires of Blayney, mooted is an extension of the North West railway, now in its Cowra, Harden and Weddin in the Central West of NSW to planning stages, from the presently proposed terminus at test commercial interest in these lines which connect the Cudgeong Road to meet these lines in the vicinity of St Western and Southern mainlines. However, the NSW Marys. government has emphasized that no public money will be available for this project. A study estimated that traffic on the Elsewhere in Western Sydney, it is speculated that the NSW lines may generate revenue of up to $115 million per annum. government will announce construction of Light Rail lines It is believed that John Holland Rail and ATEC Rail Group may be interested. 3 NSW TrainLink: Travel via freight lines government states that the improvement will increase On Sunday 6 April NSW TrainLink’s Griffith to Sydney capacity by 30%, and will enable two additional services to service will be routed via what is usually a freight only be scheduled in the peak hours. The program includes: • railway. It will depart Griffith at 0700 instead of the usual Upgraded signaling; 0720 and then travel via Temora and Stockingbingal to • Rebuilt stations at Carnegie, Murrumbeena and Cootamundra, instead of the usual route via Narranderrra Clayton; and Junee. This is due to the replacement of an overbridge • 25 new “next generation” trains; at Adams St Narranderra. • A new train maintenance depot at Pakenham East; • Removal of level crossings at Murrumbeena Road, Victorian timetable data Koornang Road, Centre Road and Clayton Road; Public Transport Victoria has released timetable and myki • Planning for removal of level crossings at Corrigan, outlet data to DataVic in the form of an API - Application Heatherton and Chandler Roads in Noble Park and Programming Interface. This will enable developers to create at Grange Road, Carnegie and Poath Road, apps and other digital products that can interface directly Murrumbeena. with, and draw from, PTV’s timetable and myki outlet data. Releasing an API means that all developers can now use Melbourne Tram timetables timetable data to create new apps or enhance existing ones. New timetables for routes 11, 24, 30 and 112 commenced The timetable and myki outlet API can be accessed at on Monday 24 March. Route 24 trams now terminate in La data.vic.gov.au Trobe St at Stop D1 Etihad Stadium. For safety reasons the following stops along La Trobe St were closed permanently An API is a standard file format that is recognised globally as from 24 March: being the best format for releasing timetable data as it • changes frequently. It is designed so that the raw timetable Stop 2 King St towards Etihad Stadium. • data is accessed in a dynamic way, ensuring that the data Stop 7 Russell St towards Etihad Stadium. accessed is always the most up to date PTV has. The API allows queries for locations for scheduled timetable, line and Melbourne fare zones revamp stop data for all metropolitan and regional train, tram and Travel within Melbourne's CBD and Docklands will be free bus services in Victoria (including NightRider). It also and commuters travelling from the outer suburbs will be includes access to myki ticket outlet data. The data will be charged he same amount as zone 1 passengers under updated weekly to take into account any planned timetable changes announced by the Victorian government. The changes, for example, due to holidays or planned government says it will cap maximum daily fares at the zone disruptions. The PTV timetable API is the same API currently 1 rate across Melbourne if it wins November's state election used by PTV for its website and smart phone apps. with all trams in the CBD becoming free from 1 January 2015. The Premier, Dr Napthine, said the big winners would To Melbourne CBD; To Melbourne Airport be bus and train passengers who commute from outer On 26 February, Victorian Premier, Denis Napthine, suburbs. The government estimates the scheme will cost emphasised that the Metro rail tunnel plan will begin this $100 million each year. decade. He said, ''Let me absolutely assure you, our The last major change to Melbourne's public transport government is committed to a rail capacity project, to ticketing schedule came in 2007, when zone 3 was enhance rail capacity through the centre of Melbourne, to abolished. boost rail capacity on the Dandenong line and the Gippsland line. We need it, it is essential. We are committed by the end A map of Melbourne’s fare zones is on our back cover. of this decade to be building a rail capacity project and include in that a link to the airport. We will deliver that V/Line: Significant trackwork because it is absolutely essential, so don't let anybody have On the Victorian Labour Day long weekend, from the a misunderstanding about our commitment to that as a key evening of 7 March until the end of 10 March, buses project.'' replaced trains on the Ballarat line, to enable signaling works to be carried out as part of the major Regional Rail Link Moreover, it is believed the much-discussed Airport link plan project. On the following weekend, 15-16 March, and again will be included as part of the realigned Metro rail project. on 29-30 March, buses replaced trains on the Geelong / Transport Minister Terry Mulder confirmed the preferred Warrnambool line. For Geelong-Warrnambool this will route will run from the airport boundary via new tracks extend until 7 April. Seymour / Shepparton trains were through a reserved land and freight corridor, before using the replaced from Saturday 15 March until Wednesday 26 existing rail tracks via Albion to connect with the Metro March. tunnel. Mr Mulder has said it would allow people to use the planned Dandenong-Sunshine rail corridor to travel to the We can expect significant substitutions in the period from 18 airport. His spokeswoman confirmed that the airport route, to 27 April when Easter and Anzac Day occur in close known as the Albion East option, remains the preferred proximity, providing a window for civil engineering works. alignment for the rail link, although the final alignment of the Metro project could result in its connection into the city V/Line: Respite from Morwell fire changing. From 1 March for the next couple of weeks, residents of Morwell were able to obtain free return travel on V/Line, to Melbourne Airport spokeswoman Anna Gillett said the obtain respite from the noxious fumes of the ongoing priority was for a rail link that ''best serves the needs of adjacent Hazelwood open cut coal mine fire. Victorians and visitors'', saying it was needed ''sooner rather than later. By 2033 we expect more than 60 million V/Line: Staff Reference Timetable passengers a year and we need all forms of ground 27 January transport - taxis, private vehicles, buses, Skybus, and a train In addition to the complete re-issue of Public timetables - to work well for people to get to and from their flights." dated 27 January 2014 (see February Table Talk , page 2), Dandenong line upgrade there was also a complete re-issue of the V/Line Staff Reference Timetable. This is, in effect, the complete system- On 6 March the Victorian government announced a $2-2.5 wide Public timetable book that isn’t. That is, it is a very billion program to upgrade the Dandenong-Pakenham- useful compilation of all the Public timetables, plus additional Cranbourne group of lines. These have been suffering from information of use to the public and presented as if it was for severe peak hour overcrowding in recent years. The 4 the public – but it is not issued to the public. (It used to be the network comprising of tier one, two and three lines, many years ago.) As well as having the complete set of facilitate or hamper state development. Brookfield Rail V/Line train and bus timetables, it includes details of booking currently holds a 50-year lease with the State government to conditions, facilities available to the public, the most operate the network. Lines are organised into tiers according important train services in other states (albeit with the to the volume of traffic they receive and the current state of Sydney—Canberra service still not quite correct) and a repair, with tier three lines the least used and in the poorest useful list of non-V/Line rural bus services with timetables for condition. most of them. A new private bus service appearing in this section which has not appeared before is Camperdown to Committee Chair Ian Blayney says the Committee received Timboon. a number of private briefings and is hoping to hold public hearings through the course of the inquiry. He says the Copies of this V/Line Staff Reference Timetable for 27 committee decided to look at the issue following problems January 2014 are available from the Australian Timetable with tier two lines during last year’s wheat harvest. "It is Association’s April Distribution List. something we have been keeping an eye on and certainly when people started asking questions about a tier two line, V/Line: Bairnsdale line slowdown then sort of red lights went off," he said. From Sunday 6 April until further notice all Bairnsdale trains are slowed own beyond Rosedale due to long-tern speed The state's main grain handler, the CBH Group, is heartened restrictions. Down trains arrive Bairnsdale five minutes later by the committee's decision to launch an inquiry. CBH is than scheduled, and up trains depart five minutes earlier. particularly interested in the future of the tier three rail lines which transport grain from country receival sites to port. CBH Victorian freight services March-April and Brookfield have been negotiating for months to find a workable solution for the future of tier three lines and the alterations handler recently requested the Economic Regulation From Monday 17 March the operation of Qube Logistics’ Authority (ERA) to assist with those negotiations. While container train to/from Deniliquin was altered. On Sundays it general manager of operations at the CBH Group, David departs Dynon, Melbourne at 1800 and operates via Capper, has welcomed the move he doesn't anticipate the Bendigo (2120-2125) to arrive Deniiquin at 0110. On inquiry will be an opportunity to scrutinise the contract Tuesdays and Thursdays it departs Westgate Port Siding, between Brookfield and the State government. "I think if we Melbourne at 1830 and also operates via Bendigo (2200- are pinning on that being an outcome of the inquiry we might 2205) to arrive Deniliquin at 0150. However on Mondays and be setting ourselves up for disappointment," he said. Wednesdays it departs Westgate Port Siding at 1850 and operates via the recently re-opened line via Toolamba Wellington plans (2235-2240) and Echuca (0010-0015) to arrive Deniliquin at The Greater Wellington Regional Council is considering a 0220. The return train operates on all days Mondays to plan to revamp timetables to provide more peak hour trains. Fridays via the re-opened line. It is scheduled to depart This would replace “timetabled” peak services with a "clock- Deniliquin at 0605, Echuca 0800-0805, Toolamba 0935- face” system, with more frequent trains from hubs at Porirua 0940, Seymour 1040-1055 and arrive Westgate Port Siding and Johnsonville. The aim is to ease bottlenecks just before at 1325. and after 0800, when about a third of all peak passengers A new Pacific National grain train will operate on Mondays, travel. This would increase peak capacity by about 50% by Wednesdays and Fridays from Tottenham Yard (0605) to 2016, reducing seat shortages. Thirty-five Matangi trains will Sunshine GrainCorp (0640) returning from Sunshine (1225) be in service by 2016 and make increased services possible. to Tottenham (1300). The 1% of peak passengers who travel from the outer area beyond Porirua and Taita would, however, be When Warncourt Loop on the Warrnambool line at 137.5 km disadvantaged. A public consultation will allow their between Birregurra and Colac is commissioned, possibly on problems to be examined. The plan projects a 2% growth in 10 April, Pacific National’s daily Monday to Friday freight passenger numbers per annum. train from Westvic Siding (just beyond Warrnambool) will depart 65 minutes earlier at 1835. Instead of crossing New Zealand: Napier-Gisborne re-opening V/Line’s evening down passenger train at Camperdown mooted (2050-2130), it will do so at Warncourt Loop (2038-2101) The Hawke's Bay Regional Council is considering investing and arrive Appleton Dock, Melbourne 75 minutes earlier at more than $NZ5 million to help reopen the Napier-Gisborne 2335 instead of 0050. The down freight service will depart railway. The proposal comes from the Napier Gisborne Rail Appleton dock five minutes later at 2340 but arrive Westvic Establishment Group, which estimates $NZ10.7 million will Siding at the same time as formerly, Consequential be needed to finance capital and operating budgets. alterations will also be made to the Cement trains to/from Waurn Ponds. Warncourt Loop will be controlled from A 51% shareholding from the regional council is proposed Melbourne Control. with investors from Hawke's Bay and the Gisborne region holding the remaining 49%. However, any investment by the Adelaide Metro: Tonsley line to re-open council would require the Government and/or KiwiRail to fully The Tonsley will line will re-open in April, following major civil fund the restoration of the line, leases on the line, engineering work, mainly electrification and partial locomotives, and agreements on freighting of logs and fruit duplication. Upon its re-opening a new timetable will be and vegetable produce beyond 2020, to ensure the long- introduced for the Seaford and Tonsley lines. term viability of the service. A loss is projected in the first three years, but the return over the longer-term would cover Adelaide Cup tram service the investment. A ten minute tram service operated all day to Morphetville Racecourse for the Adelaide Cup on public holiday Monday Group chairman Alan Dick said Hawke's Bay roads face 10 March. Travel was free. huge congestion issues if the line is not reopened, and as logging volume to Napier Port increases an estimated 10- WA Freight network inquiry fold on the 90,000 currently being transported on the area’s Western Australia's freight rail network will be the subject of roads. It is two years since the line was blocked by a an inquiry by the State Parliamentary Economics and washout northeast of Wairoa, leading to KiwiRail and Industry Standing Committee. The Committee will consider government decisions against repairs and to mothball the whether the current lease arrangements and management of line. 5 The Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee made it clear the and for a Guardian newspaper article see government would not support the initiative. http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2014/mar/10/interail- bible-returns-european-rail-timetable Train Times: Passenger Trains of Australia and New Zealand British public timetable books Train Times: Passenger Trains of Australia and New One of the two British hard copy timetable books has ceased Zealand , a timetable privately produced by Australian publication following the Winter edition of 8 December 2013. Timetable Association member Victor Isaacs, now has its This is GB Rail Timetable published by TSO. The other hard own web site. The current edition is March 2014. It is at copy timetable is Rail Times published by Middleton Press. www.traintimes.net.au The two publications were very similar and cost almost the same. TSO’s timetable book cost £18 and Middleton Press Timetable links costs £17.95. Both used pages made from the PDFs on For convenient links to internet timetables worldwide, see: National Rail’s timetable website at • www.fahrplan-online.de http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/3828.aspx. TSO • www.railfaneurope.net/frameset.html , and reproduced these at full size resulting in a very large book of • www.fahrplancenter.com 3,700 pages and weighing 1.75 kg. Middleton Press reduces the PDFs to half size. The result is timetable pages that are European Rail Timetable sometimes a bit hard to read, but the resulting book is of a The first edition (March 2014) of the European Rail manageable size and weight. The Middleton product also Timetable – successor to the Thomas Cook Timetable – has includes a number of maps and includes amendments and been received. Users of the former Thomas Cook timetable updates, whereas TSO’s timetable did not. Moreover, will feel at home. The substantive content is almost exactly Middleton Press’s timetable is widely advertised. TSO’s was the same. It also looks almost exactly the same. It is the not. Middleton Press is a publisher of a very wide range of same size as the last Thomas Cook issue – 576 pages. The books about British Railways, present and past, and other changes are the extremely boring cover (reproduced in subjects. These include a number of reproductions of March Table Talk , page 4), deletion of references to Thomas Bradshaw’s timetables and maps of the late nineteenth or Cook (except at least one, which has remained in by early twentieth centuries. So dedicated is the proprietor that accident), and the replacement of advertisements for a few years ago, he changed his name from Vic Mitchell to Thomas Cook publications by advertisements for Middleton Vic Bradshaw-Mitchell. The website is Press, Inside Europe magazine (a very interesting www.middletonpress.co.uk publication) and small advertisements for those Thomas Cook products taken over by the new owners (that is, British timetable production schedule facsimiles of historic timetables and rail maps, but not guide For an insight into how British timetables are produced by books). The price increased from £14.99 to £15.99. There is National Rail, see the production schedule for 2013-2015 at a useful new table of daily sleeper trains in Europe. Two http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/3828.aspx (click near pages of the inaugural issue are given over to temporary the top on the right hand side). It is apparent that this is a timetables of trains in south west England, caused by the huge and lengthy process. very extensive damage to railway lines there in recent London Underground Working Timetables extreme winter weather. The railways of China are covered Transport for London has now placed Working Timetables of in the Beyond Europe section in the March edition. Australia the London Underground on the internet. The website is and NZ will appear in the February and August editions each http://beta.tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and- year, as well as in the Summer and Winter six-monthly reports/working-timetables This contains the current editions, which include compilations of all the Beyond Working Timetables, However (and unsurprisingly), these Europe sections. The last Thomas Cook timetable was are huge documents, except for the tiny Waterloo and City number 1,526 (after 140 years of publication: 1873 to 1939 line. The move by Transport for London might be in and 1946 to 2013). The replacement timetable starts again response to freedom of Information requests and follows the at number 1. placing of British mainline Working Timetables on the web by The inaugural March edition sold out within four days of its National Rail at- publication. The Australian Timetable Association’s http://www.networkrail.co.uk/browseDirectory.aspx?dir= Distribution Service has secured a bulk order for the April \Timetables\Working%20timetable%20%28WTT%29&root 2014 edition which is available for members in the April 2014 = Distribution List. It has also ordered copies of the reprint of the last edition of the Thomas Cook European Rail UKIP information source Timetable in August 2013. UKIP is a UK-based professional publication company which publishes specialized periodicals and book-a-zines which Annual subscriptions and individual copies can also be are free to download or subscribe to. Interesting topics are ordered direct from our member Samuel Rachdi at covered, eg, railway interior designs, railway station designs, www.fahrplancenter.com. The publishers are now also airline catering equipment and electric cars. See taking orders for the April and following editions – see http://www.ukipme.com/ www.europeanrailtimetable.eu. Because British postal rates have increased, the cost is slightly more than Thanks to Ian Brady, David Cranney, Scott Ferris, Victor mentioned in the March Table Talk article. The new Isaacs, Geoff Lambert, James Ng, Lourie Smit, Samuel publishers are now also in a position to accept annual Rachdi, Len Regan, Roger Wheaton, www.railpage.com.au, subscriptions. Age, Canberra Times, Courier-Mail, Daily Telegraph, Financial Review, Newcastle Herald, Railway Magazine For a BBC TV news report, including an interview with the (Britain) , Sydney Morning Herald, Today’s Railways Europe editor, see http://www.bbc.com/news/business-26489897 and Transit Australia for Rail news.

6 BUS NEWS General NightRider survey An online survey was conducted on the ACTION website in Operators charging for timetables early March, following the trial of free services over Further to observations last month that Premier Illawarra December. The feedback will be used to help tailor the 2014 charge their passengers 80c for individual printed timetables offering to the needs of partygoers. (for a total cost of $6.40 for the entire 8 booklets), the only other nomination received from Table Talk readers was for Google Transit technical glitch Dysons Wodogna. Dysons Wodonga continues to charge $1 Advice on the ACTION website stated that the Google for a timetable booklet covering all services in the border Transit journey planner was incorrectly showing a normal cities of Albury and Wodonga. Until recent years, this was weekday timetable operating on 10 March on the Canberra common practice for timetables covering most larger Day public holiday. Riders were advised to select 9 March as Victorian centres, although timetables are now fully their travelling day to display Sunday timetable results. This subsidised by the state government’s transport body, PTV. does highlight the issue of operators trusting third party This timetable does not include services provided by organisations to display their timetable information correctly Martins, who run town services in the adjoining border centre – it should have been a straightforward database change to of Albury. They however issue a free timetable booklet to ensure the correct information was presented once the issue passengers. was identified. Although many transport operators are now willing to provide their timetable data to app developers (PTV in Victoria joined the trend this month), they will need to Australia Capital Territory remain vigilant in ensuring that the timetable data provided Route 6 update to developers is accurate and monitor information is ACTION introduced a revised timetable on Route 6 on 24 displayed correctly to intending passengers or risk travelling March. Buses continue to depart both Dickson and Woden at public becoming stranded and frustrated especially on days the same time, but intermediate times are up to 8 minutes when reduced service levels are operating. earlier. New South Wales March events Another busy month of events in Canberra saw the following UniNSW extras extra bus services provided: Travel demand to universities is traditionally the highest • Black Opal Stakes at Thoroughbred Park – 9 March: during the first few weeks of the academic year, when most Weekend routes 951, 952 & 956 diverted via the students attend first classes to give themselves a solid racecourse while free buses ran into the City every 20 grounding for the semester ahead, before some decide to mins from 1700 until 1930. skip certain classes, adjust their timetable to minimise the • Canberra Day in the Park at Stage 88, Commonwealth days they have to attend campus or possibly drop out Park – 10 March: Free return buses to Gungahlin, altogether. To accommodate this annual spike in demand, Belconnen, City, Woden and Tuggeranong regularly UNSW boosted afternoon services on the popular 891 between 1900 and 2100 (after the last Public Holiday service for 3 weeks commencing 25 March, by funding 10 (Sunday) timetable services). Weekend routes 900, 932, additional charter buses. These buses were timetabled to 934 & 935 dropped families at the event. depart from Gate 9 and the NDA stop around 1700 and • Skyfire 2014 at Lake Burley Griffin – 15 March: Special 1800. Route 891 is already timetabled to depart every few ‘fare paying’ services left Gungahlin, Belconnen every minutes at this time. The university plans to continue half hour and Woden & City every 10 – 15 mins from assessing demand in coming weeks. 1600 to 1930/1950. ‘Free’ return buses left from 2045 onwards, including services to Tuggeranong. 900 An email to staff and students has also asked students to try provided a link to the event for Tuggeranong residents. to arrive at Central earlier in the mornings to better help Lake Burley Griffin is also served by weekend routes queues. Requests by the university for an additional bus 932, 934 & 935. loading area have yet to be addressed. This could allow • Free travel on all ACTION buses for ACT and interstate multiple buses to load at the same time, potentially allowing seniors attending the range of Seniors Week events a higher frequency instead of buses queuing up behind each held from 16 to 23 March. other. • Connect and Participate Expo at the Old Bus Depot Markets in Kingston – 29 March: free continuous loop Earlier in the month Sydney Buses issued an updated from City Bus Station every 20 to 30 minutes 1100 to timetable for 890 (City Circular Quay – UNSW), 891 (Central 1600 along with regular weekend routes 938 & 980. – UNSW), 892 (UNSW – Circular Quay) dated 3 March. This timetable now only states frequency information at times of NRL Shuttles ultra high service level, instead of previous timetables that In additional to regular weekend routes 900, 934 & 980, fans listed almost all departures. A supplementary information attending the NRL game between the Canberra Raiders and section indicates services changes during exam periods, Titans at GIO Stadium on 23 March could catch a free return instead of footnoting trips that divert via Randwick bus from Gungahlin, Tuggeranong, Woden, City or Racecourse during this time.

Belconnen. Return charter buses also departed from the Future Music Festival extras Canberra Labour Clubs in Belconnen and Ginninderra along with The Tradies in Dickson. To cater for anticipated crowds to the Future Music Festival on 8 March, Hillsbus provided six additional inbound 607X Further home games this season will be held on 12 & 20 services from Rouse Hill, and a further nine on 610X leaving April, 18 & 25 May, 9 & 20 June, 28 July, 1, 14 & 28 of Castle Hill, some also starting at Rouse Hill. Late evening August and 4 September. In addition to the free shuttle services were also increased, with six additional buses on services, weekday games can be accessed using routes 3, 7 607X between 2255 and 0240, and an impressive twelve or one of the many Blue Rapid corridor services. extra trips on the 610X between 2235 and 0250.

7 Gledswood roadworks • AO28 Salisbury North via Paralowie Due to ongoing roadworks on Camden Valley Way, • AO29 Davoren Park to Elizabeth (connecting with Catherine Field Busways buses on 898 & 899 are no longer trains) are turning into Gledswood as of 24 February until further • AO30 Aldinga to Noarlunga Centre (connecting with notice. Instead, buses are commencing and terminating in trains) the developing estate 1.8km south at Amberley St near • AOX31 Oatlands via Glenelg & Anzac Highway Lilydale Avenue. It will be interesting to see if this becomes a permanent route change to serve the growing area. In addition to these routes, the oval is located on the perimeter of the city centre, and spectators could also catch Queensland one of the regular route services into the City and walk to the ground. As traditionally been the case, higher frequency Mount Lindsay Hwy fixed stops express services operate for Adelaide Crows games than for Following the upgrade of services on Route 540 (Beaudesert Port Adelaide Power matches. – Browns Plans) to hourly in January, it has been decided to install fixed stops to replace the previous ‘hail and ride’ Regional Footy Express services in 2014 operate from arrangement along busy Mount Lindsay Highway between Angaston, Balaklava, Murray Bridge, Goolwa, Wallaroo, Beaudesert and Jimboomba. A map on the Translink Willaston and Keith. website indicates recommended safe pick up locations in the interim including Woodhill State School, Glenagle State Industrial action continues School, Beaudesert High School and Beaudesert Hospital. Industrial action continues to affect Southlink and Transfield services, with drivers now not collecting fares for two months South Australia since 29 January. The wage dispute has reportedly led to over $1 million in lost fare revenue so far, with ticket Double decker trial validation rates falling by around 15%. The government has Later in 2014 Adelaide Metro plans to trial an 88 seat Scania suspended fines to fare evaders on buses due to the action, double decker bus on high patronage services such as and Attorney General John Rau has said the question of routes serving the Adelaide Hills to analyse their who would bear the cost of the action will not be addressed effectiveness over articulated bus models. This of course once the dispute is resolved. follows the current trials underway on the Gold Coast and across metropolitan Sydney. It shouldn’t be forgotten that Victoria some operators, such as Thompsons in northern Brisbane, have successfully used double decker buses for many years Deakin Cube #2 now to boost capacity on school services, rail replacement Deakin Uni introduced a new free staff and student shuttle duties and special event shuttles. service to their Burwood campus in eastern Melbourne on 3 March running between 0730 and 2100 weekdays. Marketed Adelaide Oval Footy Express as the Deakin Cube, the bus provides a direct link from AFL returned to the Adelaide Oval with the start of the 2014 Surrey Hills Station, allowing students to avoid the entering home & away season, following a capacity upgrade over the zone 2. The service is meant to reduce the demand of last two years that added over 15,000 seats. The move has carparking and make public transport a cheaper and more seen the end of AFL matches held at Football Park (AAMI attraction option. Park) in West Lakes, in western Adelaide. A massive 32 metropolitan routes now run for each game as follows: An initial timetable showed a 20 min frequency operating, • AOX1 Greenwith via O-Bahn presumably with a single bus attempting a 20 min round trip. • AOX2 St Agnes Depot via O-Bahn This proved unfeasible, and a second bus was added to • AOX3 Northgate Shopping Centre via Klemzig morning services by 10 March, boosting morning services to • AOX4 Hope Valley via Paradise every 15 minutes, but running only half-hourly after lunch. • AOX5 Salisbury East via Paradise Train connectivity with City trains is poor – mid morning • AOX6 Woodcroft Community Centre via Main South buses depart just a minute before the next train arrives, Road creating an undesirable 14 minute connection. • AOX7 South Adelaide Footy Club via Main South Road • AO8 Old Reynella Interchange via Brighton, Marion & Access to the university is also provided by Route 75 trams South Road (made part of zone 1+2 overlap as part of myki fare • AOX9 Mount Barker via South Eastern Freeway changes) along with a number of bus services departing Box Hill. These were boosted significantly during 2010, with the • AO10 Aldgate via Glen Osmond Road extension of Route 281 and the introduction of a new 768 • AO11 Paradise via St Bernards Road & Magill Road • service during trimesters 1 and 2. Combined with existing AO12 Athelstone via Payneham Road services on 732 and 767, eight buses an hour operate • AO13 Burnside via Greenhill Road to/from Box Hill, although depart from 4 separate stops. This • AO14 Rosslyn Park via The Parade means that a student could turn up to the stop inside the • AO15 Mawson via Main North Road campus (281 & 768) and have to wait up to 30 minutes for • AOX15 Elizabeth via Main North Road the next bus, adding to the reasons the university has • AO16 Rosewater via Days Road & Torrens Road introduced their own private option. • AO17 Port Adelaide & Outer Harbour via Port Road • AO18 West Lakes via Grange Road It will be interesting to watch the ongoing success of the • AO19 Henley Beach via Henley Beach Road service, especially in light of this month’s announcement that • AO20 Blair Athol via Prospect Road zone 1 will be extended to cover the entire metropolitan area • AOX21 Ottoway via Arndale Centre & Hawker St in 2015, and therefore there will be no longer a penalty for • AOX22 Aberfoyle Hub via Goodwood Road travelling via Box Hill. • AOX23 Morphettville Depot via Marion Road • AO24 Mitcham Square via Unley Road The university has also upgraded their existing Intercampus • AO25 Mitcham Square via Fullarton Road shuttle bus (as known as Deakin Cube) between the two Geelong campuses with a new 62-seater bus replacing one • AO26 Glenelg via Sir Donald Bradman Drive of the 24-seater mini-buses. Buses run approximately every • AO27 Elizabeth via Salisbury Highway 8 35 minutes between 0645 and 2100 during university used on the SmartBus network. Hopefully this is the final go trimesters and offers free wi-fi. The bus also calls at the at it for many years! Barwon Valley Activity Centre Park & Ride providing additional parking options. East West shares sold In early February Dysons announced that they have New format printed timetables acquired 100% of the shares of East West Bus Company Further to the report in last month’s Table Talk of the new from the directors of the former Reservoir Bus Company low-cost A3 timetable format, PTV have reprinted further (notably the Cooper family), which had previously sold their timetables in this format including: main business to the Dyson family in November 2012, along • 366 (Ringwood – Croydon) with charter arm Midland Tours. East West was a • 404 (Footscray – Moonee Ponds) partnership formed by the two neighbouring operators in • 467 (Moonee Ponds – Aberfeldie) 1980, when the new cross-suburban 560 service linking • 468 (Highpoint – Essendon) Broadmeadows and Greensborough was licensed. The • 518 (Greensborough – St Helena West) operation subsequently grew in 1981 to operate the 561 • 565 (Whittlesea – Kinglake) (Reservoir – Macleod via La Trobe Uni), 570 (Thomastown – • 624 (Kew – Oakleigh) Bundoora RMIT) in 1984 and 571 (Somerton – South Morang) in 1997 (originally operating as a non-MET ticketed • 625 (Elsternwick – Chadstone) trial). • 690 (Croydon – Boronia) • 734 (Glen Iris – Glen Waverley) More recent developments for the company included the • 735 (Box Hill – Nunawading) upgrade of part of the 571 to Trainlink standards in • 737 (Monash Uni – Croydon) December 2003 as an ultimate prelude to the rail extension • 754 (Glen Waverley – Rowville) to South Morang a decade later, followed in 2006 by an • 755 (Bayswater – Knox City) extension of 571 services west to the more logical terminus • 857 (Dandenong – Chelsea) of Roxburgh Park (initially as a separate 571A service). In In all cases, the timetables retain their previous effective 2010 the 560 and much of the 571 were replaced by the 901 date. and 902 SmartBus orbital services, which East West were subcontracted to operate on behalf of Grenda’s (later A combined timetable Craigieburn Routes 528, 529, 532, Ventura) along with Tullamarine Bus Lines. This 533, 537 & 544 in the traditional DL booklet format continues arrangement remained until both routes were awarded to to elude ATA members, suggesting the move to the new Transdev in August 2013, although East-West technically format may be more widespread, and will potentially be used remains involved in the operation by letting part of the for the majority of future bus timetables. It was initially Reservoir depot to Transdev. The 561 service was also assumed that these timetables would only be issued for extended from Reservoir to Coburg in May 2011 following those routes were demand for a printed timetable pamphlet several significant service upgrades in the past decade. is low. East West Bus Company did not operate from a separate Updated local area maps depot, but rather shared depot facilities at the existing PTV have finally updated the online versions of the local Reservoir and Dyson depots. Routes 560 & 561 were based area maps for Cardinia & Maribyrnong to incorporate at the Reservoir Bus Company premises, while Routes 570, network changes to Routes 409, 924 & 928 in late January. 571 and later 901 and 902 ran out of the Dysons depot in Unfortunately, the effective dates have not been updated Bundoora. Drivers and vehicles proudly wore separate and maps for adjoining municipalities such as Brimbank & branding although were largely integrated into the main Casey have not been reissued. operation from either site. It was not uncommon to see the parent company vehicles used during routine maintenance. The ongoing lack of a single Melbourne-wide public transport map, even if only available online, is something that fails to The other significant partnership between the Cooper and be addressed. Plans to refresh the former interactive map Dyson families ended in August when Melbourne Bus Link once hosted on the former Victrip website seem to have was dissolved after 15 years of operating the former quietly been abandoned. government MetBus services run out of the Footscray and Sandringham depots, with the next franchise contract BusTracker MkIV awarded to Transdev. In late March PTV announced that Smartrak was the successful bidder for the latest attempt at a bus tracking Ashburton Festival system for Melbourne’s bus network, after the previous On 23 February Route 734 buses operated to Holmesglen in system was scrapped late last year. An ambitious timeline lieu of Glen Iris due to the annual Ashburton Festival closing suggests the technology will be rolled out as soon as the end High St. Passengers alighting trains on the Glen Waverley of the 2014 financial year with the data used to help plan line had to remain onboard for another three stations while more reliable timetables and target areas for bus priority those using the Alamein line could walk to Warrigal Rd and measures. The data will be also be available by app High Street Rd. This arrangement has been in place for at developers to provide real time information to the travelling least three years now, after detours around the event in public. It can also be assumed that the technology will be previous years lead to long delays to services. used to enforce punctuality and reliability targets in future contracts with private operators. Dysons Wodgona & Martins apps Dysons have launched both iPhone/iPad and Android apps Reports state the existing BusTracker technology fitted to for their operation for their border city operation in Wodonga. Transdev buses will continue to be used for up to the next Unlike the printed timetable (see article above), the app is two years. The operator is due to be subject to performance free of charge. In addition to timetables and maps, the app monitoring once their greenfields timetable commences in also includes notifications of service disruptions and a list of 2015. upcoming events and public holidays that will impact services during 2014. The same developer would appear to This is now the fourth attempt at real time tracking of have designed a similar app for Martins services in Melbourne bus services, following the AVM technology neighbouring Albury. Their app also includes information on launched in the mid 1980s and the two systems previously 9 school services and the ability to locate your closest bus to Kalamunda Senior High School after departing the stop. Kalamunda Bus Station instead of deviating enroute.

Western Australia The 474 ex Kinross College to Clarkson at 1515 was adjusted two mins earlier on 24 March. More March timetable changes An additional weekday 34 service was added on March 17, Beginning March 30, Routes 16, 41, 42, 43, 48, 55, 60, 66, departing Cannington at 0710, arriving Esplanade Busport at 67, 68 and 950 call at three new stands on the northbound 0800. side of William St between Murray St and Hay St. This change was initially due to commence the previous Sunday. From 23 March, Route 104 was extended to Clydesdale St after McDougall St, due to changes to stops along Canning Coolbellup consultation Hwy. Some stops along Canning Hwy have also been Transperth held community consultation during March and relocated or closed as part of works to upgrade the stops to early April regarding the planned introduction of a new 512 DDA compliant. This also affected Routes 32, 33, 70, 100, service linking Murdoch and Spearwood via North Lake and 101, 105, 106 & 148. Coolbellup, along with the streamlining of Route 513. Route 512 services would run every 15 mins during peak periods Due to the temporary closure of Kenwick station, as of 24 and hourly at other times with no changes to service levels March the 229 bus departing Rehoboth Christian School at on Route 513. The Aloson St deviation on 513 is proposed 1510 now extends to Maddington station. Additionally, the to be scrapped as it averages almost zero passengers. 1510 ex Centro Maddington now diverts via Yule Brook College. Thanks to: Geoff Foster, Andrew Fairhall, Geoff Lambert, Mike Marshall, Roger Wheaton & various contributors on Also commencing 24 March the 0705 and 0725 299 trips ex Australian Transport Discussion Board . Esplanade Busport to Kalamunda Bus Station now operate AIR NEWS 2012: Sydney-Buenos Aires, Hong Kong-London, Bangkok- International London, Melbourne-Auckland-Los Angeles, Cuts to the Qantas international network were announced Singapore-Mumbai, Melbourne-Queenstown. on 27 February as part of a $2 billion cost reduction 2013: Melbourne-Singapore-London, Perth-Hong Kong, program. This followed a company loss of $252 million in the Sydney-Singapore-London, Sydney-Singapore- preceding six months, mainly from the international sector. Frankfurt, Adelaide-Singapore. Flights from Sydney and Brisbane to Singapore will be 2014: Perth-Singapore. downgraded from Boeing 747 jumbo jets to Airbus A330s by September 2014. These do not have premium economy The following routes have been introduced by Qantas in seating or flat bed business class seats. The Perth- recent years, some as replacements for withdrawn services Singapore service was Qantas’ last international route from but on different routes: Perth. Passengers will now be directed to partner Emirates 2011: Sydney-Dallas. or Qantas’ low-cost offshoots Jetstar and Jetstar Asia. 2012: Sydney-Santiago de Chile. Competitors Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific may 2013: Sydney-Dubai-London and Melbourne-Dubai-London. benefit with their direct full-service flights to Singapore and Hawaiian Air has increased frequency between Honolulu Hong Kong, while Etihad Airways will begin daily flights and Brisbane from one to four a week from 31 March. between Perth and its Abu Dhabi hub from July. Qantas services between Melbourne and London will be re-timed in Domestic November 2014 to reduce A380 ground time in Heathrow. Jetstar will introduce: This will free up an A380 for additional flying on other routes. • Four services weekly from Melbourne to Uluru from Qantas will sell or defer orders for 50 aircraft and reduce its 29 June workforce by 5,000 positions, with a wage freeze for other • Increase in Sydney-Uluru flights from four times a employees. week to daily from 28 June The following routes have been discontinued by Qantas • A daily direct flight from the Gold Coast to Mackay recently: from 28 June, and 2008 Sydney-Seoul, Melbourne-Tokyo, Perth-Denpasar- • A second daily Brisbane-Townsville service from 17 Singapore, Perth-Jakarta, Cairns-Tokyo. April. 2009: Melbourne-Shanghai, Sydney-Beijing, Sydney- Tigerair has introduced a direct Brisbane to Adelaide Mumbai, Brisbane-Wellington. service. 2011: Sydney-San Francisco, Perth-Tokyo. Thanks to Victor Isaacs, Tris Tottenham, Age and Australian for Air news.

10 FERRY NEWS • Twice daily “Bondi Boat” departs Darling Harbour Sydney Ferries King St wharf 7 at 1000 and 1300, picking up at Takeaway timetables for Sydney Harbour services are no Circular Quay east wharf at 1030 and 1330. longer available at the entrance to the ferry wharves at • “Seven Wonders Coastal Expedition” departing Circular Quay. Individual printed timetables are available, King St wharf 9 at 1030, returning at 1630, goes upon request, at the enquiry office. down the coast to Port Hacking. FantaSea Cruises Thanks to Tris Tottenham for Ferry news FantaSea Cruises have two daily cruises that venture outside Sydney Harbour: ODD SPOT Belgian timetabling solution Sydney style The new CEO of NMBS/SNCB Belgian Railways has promised a complete revision of the national timetable for the first time since 1998. It is hoped this will improve the current situation where only 80% of trains arrive on time. He says the problem is that train services are “no longer geared to demand”. From 1998 to 2012 passenger numbers increased by 70% but “supply” by only 13%. Construction projects are also delaying trains. The solution in the new timetable will improve punctuality but will do so by lengthening journey times by an average of 3.3%. For your viewing pleasure Films of railway lines taken from the fronts of trains have always been popular. A Norwegian television company has taken this idea to a new height. Their film of the entire mainline between the two main cities of Oslo and Bergen was broadcast on TV. The film was not edited or speeded up, even in the lengthy tunnel sections. The film ran for 7 hours and 16 minutes. The broadcast ran from 1955 until 0315 next morning. Then it was repeated just a few days later. It was claimed there was an audience of 1.2 million (out of the Norwegian population of 5 million). You can download this film – it takes 22 GB! But that has been surpassed. A Norwegian company has filmed the shipping service from Bergen to Kirkenes in far north Norway from the bow of a vessel. This unedited film is thought to be longest film ever made. It runs for 134 hours. About Table Talk Table Talk is published monthly by the Australian Timetable Association Inc. (Registration No. A0043673H) as a journal of record covering recent timetable news items. The ATA also publishes the Times covering timetable history and analysis. Contributions are invited and are very welcome. Please send these to the appropriate Editor. ABN 74248483468. Editor, Rail and Tram, Air, Ferry: Victor Isaacs, [email protected], 11 Blacket St Downer ACT 2602. Editor, Bus : Craig Halsall, [email protected] , 27 Edithvale Road Edithvale VIC 3196. Production and Mailout : Geoff and Judy Lambert. Proofreaders: Agnes Boskovitz, Ian Cooper, David Cranney and Geoff Hassall. Original material appearing in Table Talk may be reproduced in other publications but acknowledgement is required. Membership of the Australian Timetable Association includes monthly copies of the Times , Table Talk , the Distribution List of timetables, and the monthly Auction catalogues. The membership fee is $60 (Adult) and $36 (Junior) pa. Membership enquiries should be directed to the Membership Officer, Michael Smith, at [email protected] Table Talk Newswire is an advance monthly email of Rail news. To obtain this, ask the Rail Editor at [email protected] Back issues of Table Talk are available on the Australian Timetable Association’s website, austta.org.au, after three months.

11 Sydney Light Rail (article on page 3)

Melbourne fare zones, showing proposed free city tram zone (artic le on page 4)